Big Game - A Story for Girls

Mrs Macalister seated herself in the larger of the chairs, Margot took

possession of the smaller, and heroically stifled a yawn. Another

evening she would wrap herself in her golf cape and go out into the

clear cool evening air; but now at last fatigue overpowered her; fatigue

and a little chill of disappointment and doubt. How would it be

possible to become intimate with a man who sat at the opposite end of

the table, shut himself in his own room, and was apparently oblivious of

his surroundings? With characteristic recklessness Margot had put on

her very prettiest blouse, hoping to make a good impression on this

first evening, but for all the attention it had received it might as

well have been black delaine! She sighed and yawned again, whereupon

Mrs Macalister manifested a kindly concern.

"You're tired out, poor lassie! Ye've had a weary journey of it. From

London, I believe? I have a daughter married in Notting Hill. Will

that be anywhere near where you stay? I'm hoping she'll be up to visit

us in the New Year, and bring the baby with her. I have five children.

The eldest girl is settled in Glasgow. I say, that's something to be

thankful for, to have a married daughter near by. There was a young

lawyer paying her attention who's away to the Cape. If it had been him,

I'd have broken my heart! It's bad enough to have Lizzie in London,

where, if the worst comes to the worst, ye can get to her for thirty-

three shillings, but I couldn't bear one of my girls to go abroad..."

"But the men have to go--it's their duty to the Empire; and somebody

must marry the poor things," Margot declared, still stifling yawns, but

roused to a sleepy interest in Lizzie and her sisters. She foresaw that

Mrs Macalister would need but the slightest encouragement to divulge

her entire family history, and wondered whether time would prove her to

be more of a solace or a bore. As a rule, she herself preferred to

monopolise the larger share of a conversation, but to-night she was too

tired to do more than offer the necessary remarks by the way.

"Oh ay, that's right enough. I don't object to their marrying, so long

as it isn't one of my girls. I sent Isabel off on a visit to a school

friend when young Bailey began to grow particular. A mother can manage

these things, if she's any gumption, without letting the young people

suspect that there is any interference. They like their own way, young

people do, and Isabel is obstinate, like her father. Mr Macalister can

be led, but he'll never be driven. Ye have to ca' canny to get the

better of him."

Margot murmured a few words of polite but somewhat vague import, being

rather puzzled to decide in what light she was expected to view Mr

Macalister's characteristics. It occurred to her that as the good lady

was determined to talk, the conversation might be carefully directed

into more interesting channels, and valuable information gleaned

concerning the other guests of the house.